Yup. Which reminds me of something that I was thinking about today.
I was thinking that it's within God's power to reduce to nothing (annihilate) that which He brought into being from nothing. But to actually do so would seem to contradict God's goodness and justice, since Scripture tells us that everything He created is good.
Does this conclusion necessarily follow?
Does this conclusion necessarily follow?
Personally, I don't think so. Here's why--Everything He created is good. Why? Because He says it is. However, what if He decides that destruction of His creation is also good? After all--He did destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, the Canaanites, etc. Granted--in those examples, He was destroying that whach had fallen, but the concept remains the same. What is "good" upon creation, may not remain "good" throughout history, thus requiring its destruction.
This degradation is (obviously) due to the Fall, but it still exists.
After all, hell will not cease to exist.
"...since Scripture tells us that everything He created is good."
Yeah, Genesis also tells us that prior to creating everything He was not sure it would turn out good.
"And God said, let there be light: and there was light."
"And God saw the light, that it was good."
Ie, He wasn't sure that it would be good?
The OT is just mythology, imo.
Fire destroys; it also purifies. Besides, God said, "I make all things new," not "I make all new things." I believe you can logically conclude from Scripture that God's intent is to purify and sanctify His creation, not utterly destroy it.